Digital Dermatoglyphics of the Hausa Ethnic Group of Nigeria

Abstract

The study of dermatoglyphics is becoming interestingly applied in determining a number of medical and psychological traits like diabetes mellitus, genetic disorders, psychosis and many other clinical conditions in man. This dermatoglyphic study was conducted on 420 subjects (males n=210 and females n=21h belonging to the Hausa ethnic group of Nigeria. Finger prints were obtained following standard procedures using ink and finger print questionnaires. The results showed a frequency of 29.74% for 6.62% for arch and of 63.59% for loop. The pattern intensity index showed a higher value in males 12.62 than in the females 11.99. The Dankemeijer's index was higher in females, 31.67 than in males 13.10. The Furuhata's index was slightly high in females 47.87 than in the males 45.75. This is due to the abnormally high frequency of radial loops in the females. Ridge counting was done for each finger of 150 males and 150 females and the overall sum of ten fingers was obtained. The total mean ridge count showed statistically significant difference (male 101.84 ±3.17, females 97.38±3.72, t = 111.18, p<0.001). The right hands were found to possess higher ridge counts than the left in 2 out of 5 fingers in males and 3 out of 5 fingers in females (p<0.001). Hausa females showed a higher difference in right hand than Hausa males in ridge count and a radically higher frequency of whorl pattern. This may be a signal to higher incidence of breast cancer, which needs further studies for verification.